From 22 to 24 June 2026, conflict transformation experts convened in Loccum for “Let’s talk Peace! Zivile Konfliktbearbeitung in Umbruchzeiten neu denken” — a three-day conference organised by the Plattform Zivile Konfliktbearbeitung, the Ev. Akademie Loccum, and the Ev. Akademie Villigst. The first question on the table was a fundamental one: What does peace actually mean today?
The answer, as it turned out, is not straightforward. Some participants described “peace” as a term so politically charged it has become almost unusable. There is no fixed definition — and that is precisely the point. Peace must be constantly renegotiated, debated, and owned anew by each generation. Yet beneath all the conceptual uncertainty, one thing was clear: the longing for peace is universal.
Discussion turned to how peacebuilding ideas can reach broader society — beyond specialist circles. Participants drew on examples from countries like Iraq, where peace is debated as an everyday political question, and asked what campaigns, narratives, and digital formats could carry that conversation in Germany. A key insight: the goal is not to make others look wrong, but to refocus public discourse on the core question. And the numbers speak for themselves — prevention is far cheaper than war.
External actors like CRISP play a distinct role in this: neutral, innovative, and capable of introducing new methods and perspectives. On the margins of the conference, CRISP demonstrated its conflict simulator — and the response from the expert community was enthusiastic. Practitioners explored scenarios hands-on and expressed strong interest in further collaboration.
The conversation in Loccum is far from over. If you are interested in CRISP's simulation methods or would like to explore a collaboration, get in touch: hello@crisp-berlin.org
